DISHA meeting for Mangan District discusses implementation of Central schemes; flags key issues and challenges

MANGAN, (IPR): The District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting for Mangan district was held on Tuesday in the conference hall of DAC Mangan.

The meeting was chaired by Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba, also the DISHA chairman. It was attended by minister and DISHA member Samdup Lepcha, Mangan DC and DISHA member secretary Anant Jain, and other members of the committee. Also present on the occasion was Mangan Zilla Adhyaksha Kado Lepcha, Mangan Nagar Panchayat president Norkit Lepcha, and former chairman Nim Tshering Lepcha.

The meeting was attended by all heads of departments under Mangan district administration along with officers and staff, including officers from BRO and other agencies.

At the outset, Mangan DC Anant Jain presented a brief overview of the district and also touched upon the progress of Vibrant Village Programme.

The opening address of the district collector was followed by a detailed presentation by line departments highlighting the progress of implementation of central government schemes in Mangan district.

The presentations were punctuated by specific queries from the committee, especially in areas which needed special intervention to remove bottlenecks in the process of implementation.

Committee chairman Indra Hang Subba laid stress on maintaining proper data and statistics at every step of implementation of schemes. He also called for efficient coordination among various agencies involved in the implementation process. In cases where the committee was not convinced with the justification provided by the concerned departments for delay in implementing or other gaps, the officers and departments were directed to address them on priority and with utmost seriousness.

Minister Samdup Lepcha also sought information on specific issues which were hindering the process of development. He also raised issues and concerns which catered to Lachen-Mangan constituency which he represents as an MLA.

In his address, the minister reiterated that the DISHA meeting is a forum to discuss, introspect and prepare future roadmap to take the district forward in all spheres of development. He urged the officers of the district to be proactive and make best use of their resources to serve the people with special focus on rural and far flung areas. He thanked the Member of Parliament for his insights during the meeting and particularly appreciated the suggestion made by him to the BDOs to carry out a drive to link the Aadhar numbers of citizens above the age of 70 years to enable them to avail of various schemes and services.

He also proposed to involve Pipons and panchayats in the DISHA meeting in the future. He further highlighted the importance of inter-departmental coordination for holistic development. He urged all departments to ensure timely implementation of welfare schemes and create greater awareness at the grassroots level. He encouraged Block Development Officers (BDOs) to engage with panchayats and local communities and emphasised the need for all officials to fulfill their responsibilities with commitment and quality.

In his concluding remarks, Lok Sabha MP and DISHA chairman Indra Hang Subba thanked the committee members and the officers of Mangan district for the daylong deliberations. He appreciated the efforts made by each department to implement the flagship schemes of the central government. He emphasised that DISHA is not just a routine meeting, but a critical platform to assess progress, ensure transparency, and improve governance. He urged officials to maintain accountability, focus on ground realities, and enhance their presentations with well-organised data for better clarity.

Subba also proposed holding the next DISHA meeting in September, involving five panchayat presidents and notable personalities from the region to encourage participatory governance. He insisted that all Heads of Offices (HoOs) must attend future meetings to ensure direct accountability and informed discussions. He reaffirmed his support for the district and assured assistance whenever required.

After thorough deliberation, the meeting concluded with a resolve to address all the issues discussed during the meeting and submit the action taken report in the stipulated time.

The meeting came to an end with words of thanks offered by ADC Development Mangan, Dr. Sonam R. Lepcha.